Last Updated on October 15, 2022 by Griselda M.
Can Canna Lilies grow indoors? Cannas are a group of tropical perennial plants that are considered hardy. They grow mostly in cold hardiness zones 7-10. Their bulbs are rhizomes, which can grow horizontally.
Every gardener from the north knows that these plants are summer bulbs. They have green, purple, or variegated leaves which look more like banana leaves. They can grow gorgeous flowers in bright colors like red, oranges, yellow, pink, or white.
Landscapers love to put canna lilies in the isle and plant them as groups because they can quickly spread and grow. When they get sunlight, they can grow beautiful flowers together that can adorn your frontage.
Generally, cannas are grown outdoors, which is their primary place. But with proper care, you can grow canna lilies in pots indoors. Today on the blog, we will walk you through some tips and tricks on how to successfully grow a canna lily house plant.
Can Canna Lilies Grow Indoors? Here Are Some Tips
Growing canna lilies indoors doesn’t have to be a challenge. Many homeowners have tried domesticating these beautiful flowers and taking them indoors. Various businesses have started to like putting canna lilies in their indoor fountains, on the doorways, corridors, and even in the corners of their offices.
So, if you ask “can canna lilies grow indoors?”, the short answer is yes. Here are some tips you can follow when growing canna lilies indoors.
Cannas need full sun for ideal development. Select a window area where the plant can get six hours of direct daylight. According to the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, this helps the plants bloom to their fullest.
Cannas have rhizomes or false bulbs. They develop evenly rather than upward into the dirt like different roots. Make sure you select an enormous pot that can uphold the level development of the rhizomes and be ready to partition and repot the cannas depending on the situation to forestall stuffing.
Cannas can likewise develop up to 10 feet tall depending on the variety. Think about more modest assortments of canna for indoor development. The Cabana canna ‘Cosmopolitan’ (Canna flaccida x ppt) assortment, for instance, becomes simply 2 to 3 feet tall. Thanks to the red and yellow blooms, these varieties are so stunning.
It grows up to 2 feet tall. Its green foliage and red-yellow blossoms are quite attractive even when afar. This variety can add beauty and increase the curb appeal of any home. Striped Beauty is another variety that you can try. It can grow 3 feet tall and is also very attractive.
Spring is the best time to plant canna lilies. During this time, they can sprout, develop and blossom in the mid-year. When winter comes, you have to store them in a dry and ice-free spot.
Can Canna Lilies Grow Indoors? Growing Bulbs
Step 1. Choose a pot
Get a large pot with drainage holes at the bottom. Soon your canna’s bulb will occupy the whole pot, so make sure you get a deep and big pot.
While canna lilies can tolerate wet soil, poor drainage will cause the rhizomes to rot. You have to make sure that your pot drains well, especially when you place the canna lilies indoors.
Unlike the outdoor environment, indoor settings don’t have the luxury of receiving enough sunlight for the soil to dry.
Fill the container with the gardening mix. Burry the rhizomes are about 3-4 inches deep.
Step 2. Choose a location
Then place your pot at a location with indirect sunlight. Somewhere near a window would be ideal.
Step 3. Water
Water the plant when the soil is dry. remember that the canna doesn’t need much watering until you see the foliage appears.
Step 4. Sunlight
When sprouts appear, move the container outside so they get direct sunlight. Expose them for about 4 hours and then place them back again. You can practice every other day.
Step 5. Temperature
Try to keep the canna lilies at a temperature between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Even though the plant loves a lot of sunlight, make sure they are not placed under cold drafts. Canna lilies don’t like being placed near the air conditioning unit.
How To Tell If Canna Bulbs Are Dead
- Deadhead the flowers after they finish blooming. If you don’t do this, the dead flowers will appear brown and dirty. Moreover, it will prevent the plant from going to seed.
- Deadheading also encourages new flower growth. A single stem may produce several flowers but when it stops, you have to prune it. At the end of the growing season, your blossom will die to the ground so you need to cut it. Otherwise, it will look untidy like those wildflowers in the forest. Don’t be saddened if you have to cut them. Take this as an opportunity to groom your canna lilies. Proper grooming will help keep your garden tidy.
- When the bulbs are dead, this is the best time to re-pot them. Keep them in a container over the winter months. Don’t worry if the plant dies back. When summertime comes, they will grow back eventually.
- When replanting the bulbs, try to have a new pot with a great gardening mix. You don’t need to put fertilizers for your canna lilies as they can grow fast when you have the proper combination.
Conclusion: Can Canna Lilies Grow Indoors?
Canna lilies can grow indoors when all requirements have been met. For first-time gardeners, you may experience difficulty in trying to acclimate the plant, especially if you don’t belong to the cold hardiness zone. Nevertheless, growing canna lilies indoors is a quite fun experience. Do this in your free time or when you have a day to spare.
Canna lilies are beautiful home plants. They don’t only add aesthetics to a dull corner but they grow colorful flowers that soothe the eye. You can add them to your garden isle outside or your can have a variety of canna lilies in one big pot and put it in the corner of your home.